“What—” I started to ask.
Samkiel raised his hand to his lips, nodding back towards the wreckage. I followed his gaze and watched as a small cloud of fog fell over us, misting the tree tops. It was deep enough to conceal, but not dense enough that we couldn’t see.
Cameron remained silent, his complete focus on the burning encampment below.
We waited, but when nothing happened, I grew bored and leaned in close to whisper, “What was that? That noise?”
“It was an idea.” A haunted look crossed his face, one of shock and disbelief. “I thought it was just talk from a woman who dreamed far too much.”
“Wait, what woman?” I asked and crossed my arms, my lips thinning in annoyance. From his tone, he seemed far more familiar with her than simple war buddies.
“Dianna,” Samkiel said, tossing me a look that screamed that now was not the time.
I tossed a hard look back, brow raised and hip cocked. “Samkiel.”
He avoided my gaze, obviously not wanting to fight, and I knew I was right. Yes, Samkiel had exes. Gods, anyone our age would have far too many to count, but I doubted the list would be as deadly as his or mine.
“That’s not the most important question right now,” he said, avoiding answering.
“Fine.” I sighed, knowing we’d talk about it later. “Then tell me about the noise. What was that?”
His jaw flexed as he tried to find the right words. “Simply put, it was an extreme sonic energy burst. It was meant to incapacitate and hold us.” Samkiel cast a worried look at me. “That blast was meant to disable, not kill.”
I swallowed, watching him as a million and one questions cluttered my mind. I had never heard of it, but from what he’d said, it was something from long before Rashearim fell.
“Hold us for what?” I asked.
A whirring sound vibrated the air. We all looked toward the sky as the clouds parted and three warships emerged. They looked like replicas of the ship I’d smashed to pieces. The sleek but foreign design bristled with jagged points and weapons. Their streamlined shape made it evident that they were made for speed, their powerful engines easily propelling them through space. Lights burst from the undersides of their hulls, scanning and searching the area below. This was Nismera’s armada. Or at least a small glimpse of it.
I glanced at Samkiel and Cameron, their pale faces making me very nervous. The ships lowered one by one, dust curling around them as they reached the ground. Doors opened, and soldiers marched down the long ramps. There were only about five per ship, and their wings flared as their feet touched the ground. With their shining armor, they looked like beings I had thought were myth. If angels existed, these would be them. I wondered if the stories from Onuna were modeled after these beings.
“Oh fuck,” Cameron hissed, and I heard Samkiel’s heart beating rapidly. I looked around to see what had caused their distress. They were both focused on one of the ships. Soldiers stood at attention around it as a tall woman walked down the ramp, a muscular adrueth walking beside her. A winged helmet partially covered his face, leaving only his mouth and lower jaw visible.
Even from this distance, I could tell she was striking in her beauty. Her long brunette hair was braided and artfully pinned away from her face. Twin swords were strapped to her back, and her gold armor hugged her lithe form. A long swathe of white fabric slipped between her toned legs as she walked, armored boots reaching mid-thigh. Her wings were held with warrior strength, and they were such a bright white dusted with gold that they seemed to glow.
She turned her head toward the tent we had left, surveying the wreckage. To my utter disdain, our broken general limped over, covered in dirt, blood, and soot. She reached the beautiful angel’s feet and crumbled to her knees as they spoke. We leaned a fraction closer, trying to listen, but with the distance and crackling flames, we heard nothing but murmurs.
The beautiful angel said something, and the man standing at her side smiled and stepped back. The angel reached back and drew her sword, the movement as quick and smooth as a viper’s. With practiced ease, she severed the bloody general’s head in one quick strike. She lifted the head by her white hair and tossed it to one of the soldiers. He caught it without flinching and barked a short command. The soldiers returned to their ships, clearly satisfied with what had taken place. We watched silently as the ships returned to the sky and disappeared. I turned to face Samkiel and Cameron as soon as they were gone.
“Who the fuck was that, and why do you look like you’ve both seen a ghost?”
Cameron sighed. “I would prefer a ghost.”
“As would I,” Samkiel said.
That told me everything I needed to know. Finding that she had warships and a weapon that could bring both gods and monsters to their knees? Piece of cake. Seeing my husband and best friend turn pale white at the sight of a beautiful winged warrior queen? Definitely the least amusing part of my day.
“Let me guess?” I sighed deeply. “Ex?”
“Yes.” Samkiel at last turned to face me. “Milani.”
25
KADEN
“You have to be careful, Kaden,” Zasyn said, casting a disappointed look my way. A small bowl sat at her side, and she cupped Isaiah’s small face in her hand, forcing him to look up at her. He winced as she cleaned the gash that sliced through his eyebrow toward his eye.
I kicked my legs and twisted my hands together. We had left early this morning, heading for Forest Creek. No one, celestial or otherwise, went out there, and it was the perfect place for when our skin would itch. That deep tickle that started when we hadn’t changed forms in a while.
